Rhone Rangers Tasting

The 2020 Saint Joseph L'Olivaie comes from a parcel of 60-year-old vines. It's a winner, offering a rocking array of black and blue fruits, crushed stone, pepper, and flowers as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate. With plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe yet present tannins, and a great finish, it will give a top Hermitage a run for its money. JEB DUNNUCK

The medium to full-bodied 2020 Saint Joseph l'Olivaie, tasted out of barrel-the final blend will be roughly 50% from pièces de Bourgogne and 50% from demi-muids-showed an enthralling blend of raspberries and olives, a sexy, silky mouthfeel and great length and freshness on the finish. WINE ADVOCATE

Grape varieties: 30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Viognier, 10% Marsanne, 5% Bourboulenc, 5% Clairette
Terroir: White clay and sand
Exposure of the South-West vineyard, at an altitude
of 320m Manual harvesting with respect for the environment and sustainable agriculture certified HVE (High Environmental Value)
Traditional vinification in temperature-controlled concrete vats, with indigenous
yeasts Ageing for 6 months in concrete vats before bottling at the estate

An aromatic, fresh and well-balanced white with plenty of stone fruits, honeysuckle and cooked lemons. Medium body with fresh acidity and plenty of fruity character all along. Juicy and flavorful finish. Drink or hold. JAMES SUCKLING

70% Grenache - 15% Mourvèdre - 15% Syrah
Red and blue fruits, violet and lavender lift, some tapenade elements. Beautiful lilting aromatics. The palate is supple, plush and slippery couching raspberry and black cherry alongside some licorice and mineral. Open and charming across the palate but also cinched in by a thread of acidity and balancing quite fine (for the region) tannins. Pure and built for joy. MICHAEL MCNAMARA

A touch of fresh crushed raspberry, some black cherry, and a wild earthen note pocked with meadow herbs. It's all turned up a notch with an extra level of concentration and broad, sweeping fruit and flavour that envelopes the palate then slowly melts away leaving earthy, charred herbs and a little wild note on the close. A bit of rustic charm dare we use the phrase here but in all the right ways and a lovely layering of savoury and sweet throughout. JAMES SUCKLING

Domaine Font de Courtedune – for now, at least – is something of an insider’s secret. With vineyards right next door to Château Rayas, and sharing the same sandy soils, this tiny Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate produces outstanding wines that are a fraction of the price of those of its famous neighbour. The vineyards have long been owned by the Charrier family, but the fruit was sold to the local co-operative until 1997, when René Charrier established the domaine. Today his children Caroline and Frédéric are in charge.

Everything here is joyously traditional. The old vines (some of which are over 100 years old) are all farmed sustainably, with as little intervention as possible; a philosophy that follows through into the winery. Everything is whole-bunch, fermented and aged in concrete vats, with no oak to be found in the winery at all. They work almost exclusively with Grenache, with just a splash of Mourvèdre, Counoise, Cinsault, and Terret Noir to add extra spice and body to the wines.

An outstanding 2021 Chateauneuf ethereal and fresh, super sleek and wonderfully pretty. It's all about the pure fruit, lilting, sweet cherries, crushed raspberry and a touch of white pepper spice sprinkled in all the right spots. Lovely wine.

 

40-year-old vines grown sand and grey river galets on a little hill on the other side of Courthézon, near the Ouvèze river.
A slippery grenache high on raspberries, dried herbs and sweet spices. The palate is awash with red berries and spices, boasting a rich velvety core of fruit. A backbone of tannins is ribbed by complex flavours from whole bunch and old vines that add flavour and structure. Signs off with pleasing dark chocolate tannins. This is a mighty Cotes du Rhone that rates high on the pleasure scale. GABRIELLE POY

Notes on previous vintage
Black fruit, raspberry jam, quite meaty and nutty, a little spice and dried herb. It's medium to full-bodied, quite savoury with meat, dried herbs and black olive, some juiciness to red and black fruit too, with firm grainy tannin grip, balanced acidity, and a dry, spicy and nutty finish of good length, some bitter dark chocolate in the aftertaste. Kind of robust and chewy, but a good wine all up. GARY WALSH